Toolkeel

How to merge PDF files into one document (Windows, Mac and phone)

Combine several PDFs into a single file on Windows, Mac, iPhone or Android without installing software, keep pages in the right order and keep the file small.

PDF2 min readUpdated

Key takeaways

  • A browser tool merges PDFs on any computer or phone without installing software.
  • On a Mac, Preview can combine PDFs by dragging files into the thumbnail sidebar.
  • Put the files in order before merging, then fix single pages afterwards with an organiser.
  • Bookmarks, form fields and digital signatures from the original files are often not carried over.
On this page
  1. The quickest way on any device
  2. On a Mac with Preview
  3. On Windows
  4. On iPhone and Android
  5. Tips for a tidy result
  6. What does not survive a merge
  7. Password-protected PDFs

The quickest way on any device

  1. Open the Merge PDF tool.
  2. Choose or drop the PDFs you want to combine. You can add more at any time.
  3. Drag the files into the order you want, or use the arrow buttons.
  4. Select Merge and download the single PDF.

The files are joined inside your browser, so contracts, bank statements and ID scans never leave your device. It works the same on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iPhone.

On a Mac with Preview

Preview, which comes with macOS, can combine PDFs. Open the first PDF, choose View › Thumbnails, then drag the other PDF files from Finder into the thumbnail sidebar at the point where they should appear. Save with File › Export as PDF to keep the original untouched.

On Windows

Windows does not include a PDF merger. Microsoft Word and the other Office apps can save a document as a PDF, but cannot combine existing PDFs. Use a browser tool, or a desktop PDF editor if you already own one.

On iPhone and Android

Open the merge tool in Safari or Chrome and pick files from the Files app or your downloads. On iPhone you can also select several PDFs in the Files app, press and hold, and choose Create PDF; the order follows the file names, so rename them first if needed.

Tips for a tidy result

  • Name files with numbers first (01-cover.pdf, 02-invoice.pdf) so they sort correctly before you start.
  • Fix single pages afterwards. If one page is upside down or in the wrong place, open the merged file in Organize PDF to move, rotate or delete it.
  • Mixed page sizes are fine. A4 and Letter pages, or landscape and portrait pages, keep their own size in the merged file.
  • Check the size before emailing. Merging scans adds up quickly; Compress PDF can bring the file under an email limit.

What does not survive a merge

Merging copies the pages. Some document-level features usually do not come along: bookmarks (the outline in the sidebar), fillable form fields that share a name across files, and digital signatures, which are invalidated by any change to a signed file. Fill in and sign forms after merging, and keep the signed originals if their signatures matter.

Password-protected PDFs

A PDF that needs a password to open cannot be merged until you open it with the password and save an unprotected copy. Only do this for documents you are entitled to edit.

Sources

  1. Apple Support: Combine PDFs in Preview on Macsupport.apple.com
  2. Microsoft Support: Save or convert to PDF in Office appssupport.microsoft.com
Written by the Toolkeel team at Sole Digital Media

Fact-checked against the sources above. We test every tool we mention. Editorial policy.

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